Download CBT / WBT

CBT / WBT
The idea to "pour knowledge into the heads of persons" rather than
acquiring it through arduous educational processes is very old. The
emergence of powerful computers has rekindled the hope that a device
acting as individual teacher and making learning much easier does
become available.
This has lead to thousands of attempts of CBT (Computer Based
Teaching). It comes in many variants and acronyms: CBT can also be
interpreted to mean Computer Based Training, the abbreviation CAI
stands for Computer Assisted Instruction, ITS for Intelligent Tutoring
System, etc. Incorporating the WWW, other acronyms are appearing,
particularly WBT for Web Based Teaching.
Although computers and the Web may help in instructional processes it
is necessary to be cautious: cognitive psychology of learning processes
show that passive processes are not enough, but that active work by the
learner is necessary: the most we can achieve with (networked)
computers is to make knowledge acquisition (learning) either more
interesting or less expensive, or both. The motivation to use computers
for the learning process in schools and universities is usually to achieve
better motivation and more enjoyable learning; in companies the main
driving force is to reduce the cost incurred in training or retraining of
employees or newcomers.
CBT and WBT are often understood as offering "multimedia modules"
that learners work through at their own pace, intermixed with some
simple questionnaires to reinforce knowledge obtained and to advise
persons on how to proceed. This naive approach has been tried
innumerably many times since the early sixties. With some exceptions, it
has proven to be unsuccessful: learners feels that such systems are not
much superior to books with pictures, or even inferior to high quality
videos that can be stopped and scenes reviewed when necessary;
knowledge providers finds that creating "high quality courseware" (as
such teaching modules are usually referred to) is expensive to an extent
that a pay-off is not easy to see.
Good WWW based solutions must at least take the following issues into
consideration:
Before material is presented to learners the level of their knowledge must
be determined. Only modules that provide new knowledge must be
offered: nothing is more de- motivating than having to wade through lots
of material until a morsel of new information is found. Ideally, not only
the level of knowledge should be determined, but also the „cognitive
style“: some persons learn better through texts, others through pictures,
others through tactile efforts (like inputting some text), etc.
The material must never be "dictatorial", forcing the person to work
through it ("tunnel syndrome"): at any point learners must be able to go
back to a table of contents and see how much they have done and what
still has to be worked through.
Whatever is presented, users should be able to make notes, highlight
parts of the material, create links to related material, insert own ideas,
etc. They must be allowed to actively work with the material rather than
just passively go through it. A networked environment should allow that
additions or changes are available to other learners.
Material presented should not be offered in isolation, but with a
sufficient background „library“ that can be used for "researching" if
desired. Clearly the WWW can play a major role in this context.
The best way to learn is often "not by viewing but by doing". For
example, rather than reading about some aspect of geography it is often
more motivating to be forced to prepare a presentation using modern
multimedia techniques.
Finally, the possibility of a network (Intranet or Internet) must be truly
exploited: it is the network that is and should be breaking the isolation
often experienced when learning with computers: three main
„communicational and cooperational components“ must be supported:
(a) learners can „chat“ with or pose questions to others who are currently
working on a similar topic if those others have indicated that they are
„available“; (b) using discussion forums and (more generally)
„cooperative spaces“ users can work together even when not online
simultaneously; and (c) users should be able to ask questions at any point
that experts answer as fast as possible.
General networked training and learning systems must also provide
powerful tools for „authoring“, for testing, for course- and student
administration and for collecting feedback and other statistical data.
Systems that incorporate most of the above mentioned desirable features
are starting to be visible on the horizon: this will finally make WBT a
valuable tool for the teaching and learning process.
References:
Authoring Systems in Computer Based Education: Kearsely, G;
Communications of the ACM 25, no. 7 (1982), 8 – 22.
The Heart of the Problem: Knowledge Management and Knowledge
Transfer: H.Maurer; In: Proc. Enable 1999, Vantaa Institute of
Technology, Espoo, Finland (1999), 8-17.
Design, Development and Implementation of a WWW-Based Course
Support System: Collis, B; In: Advanced Research in Computers and
Communications in Education, IOS Press, Amsterdam (1999), 11-18.